Colin Powell and Djibouti

[suegeo]

On March 23, 04, Sec. of State Powell testified before the 9.11 commission.

In his (very long) opening statement, he mentioned that he was proud of our presense in Djibouti (which is in Africa).

Because I am an ignorant slut, I didn't know why he mentioned this African country while talking to the commission studying the 9.11 attacks in America.

Well today (March 24) -- on the Sirius satellite radio's Deutsche Welle broadcast -- I hear that an attempt on the life a Mr. Rau (govt official from Germany) was detected and stopped. Here is a story on this:

http://quote.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000085&sid=afP_L3.WXbhE&refer=europe

Terrorism Threat Stops Djibouti Trip by Germany's Rau, AFP Says
March 24 (Bloomberg) -- German President Johannes Rau canceled a scheduled visit today to Djibouti in the Horn of Africa after a threat of a terrorist attack, Agence France-Presse said, citing a statement from his office.

END SNIP

So, Powell might not be AS BIG a schmuck as I came to believe. Here is why I believe this (well, I believe this today, anyway)

--In his testimony, he was indicating that it was America that helped save the life of a high-up German official visiting Africa, specifically Djibouti.

--During his testimony before the 9.11 commission, Powell went on and on and on about how great our country was doing in the post 9.11 effort to stop terrorism. At first I thought it was a campaign commerical -- eg "This election year, vote for the Bush junta, 'cause you don't want to change horses midstream during a war."

However, maybe there was more to this long speechifying. I mean, Powell couldn't very well get up in front of the world and say our country was still eff-ing dumb when it came to detecting and stopping attacks. This would onlly tell "our enemies" that we were vulnerable. So he had to brag about how ready we were for any threat. He also used the word "crusade" again. I winced, but maybe he used this word on purpose???!!

--Powell might also not be a schumck because he went on the record early on, saying that the bin Laden family and certain Saudis were indeed flown out of the country in the days following the attacks on 9.11. He was saying it wasn't his group that said OK to this approval for flying them out. So, it must be (according the guess made by Clarke today) Andy Card or higher that said OK to flying them out.

Anyway, I am still pissed that Powell went to the UN about the WMDs before the Iraq invasion. But I am starting to see that maybe (just maybe) he might be doing the best he can in a difficult situation.

That said, I still question the veracity of what anybody in the corrupt adminstration claims. Fool me once...and all that.

[suegeo]

1. Oil, all about oil

With minimal effort, I find that even Djibouti is about oil. Sigh


http://www.guardian.co.uk/Columnists/Column/0,5673,911700,00.html
A wilful blindness

Why can't liberal interventionists see that Iraq is part of a bid to cement US global power?

George Monbiot
Tuesday March 11, 2003
The Guardian

SNIP

In January, the US moved into Djibouti, ostensibly to widen its war against terror, while accidentally gaining strategic control over the Bab al-Mandab - one of the world's two most important oil shipping lanes. It already controls the other one, the straits of Hormuz. Two weeks ago, under the same pretext, it sent 3,000 soldiers to the Philippines. Last year it began negotiations to establish a military base in Sao Tome and Principe, from which it can, if it chooses, dominate West Africa's principal oilfields. By pure good fortune, the US government now exercises strategic control over almost all the world's major oil producing regions and oil transport corridors.

END SNIP

[suegeo]

2. more on the plot to hurt the german guy

This story gives a little more info on the plot against Mr. Rau, and why he just cancelled his trip to Djibouti.

Note the terror/oil connections.

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/world/20040324-0737-germany-djibouti.html